Let the Nation Decide on ‘Peace’ – Before it is Too Late

By Moshe Feiglin

The root of the evil is the across-the-board political consensus to conduct negotiations over our Land. When Jewish Home Chairman Naftali Bennett does not oppose the negotiations, why should he complain about the Prime Minister? Netanyahu  is simply fighting an unwinnable war, searching for all sorts of innovative ways to improve his and our situation.

From what I know of Netanyahu, it is clear to me that he is not happy about giving up parts of our Land. Just like Begin, who, at the start of talks with Egypt promised to move to the Sinai, and like Sharon, who originally said that “The status of Netzarim is the same as the status of Tel Aviv,” Netanyahu also has Zionistic ambitions. Perhaps he even believes that he will be able to realize some of them. But those hopes are not built on the right foundation. That is why they always collapse in the face of reality.

The rightist leaders of the past have always enjoyed the generous support of the National Religious parties to advance their plans for retreat. For after all, nobody wants to break up the coalition over mere talks. When the talks ripen into action, even if the National Religious walk out of the government, it is already too late. That is how Sinai and its towns were erased by Begin and the National Religious Party’s Zevulun Hammer. That is how Gush Katif and its towns were destroyed by Sharon and the NRP’s Orlev. Our good friends in the Jewish Home have their fair share in the tragedy that is taking shape before our eyes – even if, toward the end of the process, they will leave the Coalition.

When you vote for the release of terrorists just for the ‘privilege’ of entering negotiations to surrender your Homeland, then you and your party are part of the problem – certainly not part of the solution. When you run out of the Knesset plenum so that you don’t have to vote in favor of a law to safeguard Jerusalem (!) from negotiations, then you and your party are part of the problem – not even near the solution. And when you see how the sovereignty on the Temple Mount is being transferred to Jordan, through the Moslem wakf, and you don’t lift a finger, then you are a central part of the problem – not the solution. The same is true when you support the transfer of the Negev to the Bedouin, ignore the destruction wrought by the Defense Minister – Taliah Sasson-style –  on outlying settlements and  more and more.  And to top it all off : What is the connection between a Jewish Home and the equal status afforded same-sex couples? How is it that when the National Religious boast 12 Knesset seats and a place of honor in the cabinet, we are witnessing a wave of legislations that, in exchange for fleeting coalition benefits, rips the time-honored status quo on religious issues to shreds?

If Bennett and his party would have remained outside the government and the ultra-Orthodox would have been in the Coalition, the prognosis for the Land of Israel would not have been any worse. But at least we would have been able to preserve some Jewish values.

So now what do we do? After we have already entered negotiations and after we have gotten exactly what any child could have told us that we would get: a US demand for retreat to the ’67 borders and the establishment of the ‘Palestinian’ capital in Jerusalem – now what do we do? Is there a way out of this mess?

Instead of meaningless advertising campaigns and ridiculous spats with the Prime Minister, we must make a simple and focused demand: A national referendum on the Kerry framework proposal. If Tom Friedman in his article in the New York Times is correct and the US document includes a retreat to the ’67 borders with some land swaps and a ‘Palestinian’ capital in Jerusalem, then, as we know from our previous experience – that will also be the final result: Until the very last grain of sand. Let us not forget that the US represents the ‘middle ground’. On the other side are the Arabs and the Ha’aretz newspaper, demanding much more. The Kerry Framework is most likely the picture of the final status agreement.

We must not allow the Israelis leading the negotiations to continue to slice up the Land like a salami while urging the public to get used to the idea – which is what happened in the past. Bring the entire salami to a national referendum – now – before you start slicing.

Ask the nation: “Do you support a retreat to the 67 borders with some land swaps and the establishment of a ‘Palestinian’ capital in Jerusalem?

If the answer will be positive, Netanyahu will be able to tell Kerry that he has received a mandate from the Nation to continue the process according to his plan. If the answer is negative, we will most likely have elections, which will focus on the real question: Not what we oppose, but rather, what we support.

For my part, I will provide the Israeli public with the option to vote for the candidate whose vision is in line with the vision of the prophets, instead of the candidate who wages a hopeless war in the face of the vision of Oslo.